Author: Dr. Melissa Bird

As a writer, professor and fiery public speaker, Dr. Melissa Bird creates the genesis for a new brand of leadership.
Her words awaken revolutionaries, trailblazers and powerful innovators in the quest for justice.
When she’s not building her public speaking Empire, she can be found reading trashy novels, drinking fine whiskey, playing mom to three delicious humans, and loving her punk rock scientist James Thomas Kelly.

10. Built a BOMB ASS following online! That has led to connections with: Magical Feminists Kick Ass Academics Gorgeous friendships Glorious politicians 9. Pursued and obtained a PhD! I had mediocre grades, nearly failed statistics, and was told that my work was irrelevant. 8. Gone to a therapist! I was going through post-divorce insanity back…

Last night I broke my cardinal rule. I picked a fight with a total stranger on Facebook. It made me cry all night and all morning. It took me all the way until this afternoon to gather my wits and apologize publicly, which I did. Yes, the impenetrable Dr. Bird has a heart and cries…a…

My husband is a veteran. He and I are gun owning Democrats who believe deeply in American government. We attend church with our kids on most Sundays and he is using his GI Bill to finish his college education. I did what my grandparents taught me to do and worked hard to get where I…

I have been reflecting back at where I was at this time last year. My sadness was palpable. I was worried about what would happen under the current administration. It is worse than I thought it would be. In today’s Monday Mayhem, I take a look back at my words. 11/19/2016 I am broken, I…

I am grateful for activists. I receive lots of really incredible emails on a pretty regular basis. This week I received some remarkable messages that I think are pretty great. One was from a student of mine who read the chapter about “substance use” in our textbook and took exception with the language used. He…

I have a tattoo on my back that says “forward out of darkness, forward into light”. I got it after Utah state legislator LaVar Christensen killed the first bill I ever wrote in 2004. It is part of the motto the suffragettes sewed on their banners when they marched for the 19th Amendment. My tattoo…

Do you ever just wake up in the morning and think holy crap…how did I get here? I do pretty much every day. I haven’t always been Dr. Melissa Bird, PhD but I have always been a rebel girl I grew up in small town Utah, wore spandex skirts that were just a centimeter too…

“As our world reacts to injustice in forms of control, I as a follower of Jesus will react in forms of uncontrollable love.” Yes y’all heard that right, I just threw you a quote about Jesus. I know I know – y’all just spit out your beverages and fell out of your chair. Follow me…

Ohhhh y’all, 2017 is proving to be the year that the women stopped giving all the fucks. This weeks elections turned out to be a real doosey and proved the #resistance is alive and well, and it has NOTHING to do with old white guys and the status quo. Let’s just talk about this for…

I cannot lie, I am just damn angry. Angry at the patriarchy, angry at the backlash, angry that over and over women are told to be quiet and shut up. I am angry that this week congress voted to ban abortion starting at 6 WEEKS and then put fetal personhood language into a tax bill….

Last week I posted a blog about the sexual harassment that has occurred at the USC School of Social Work. One of my former professors has been found guilty of sexual harassment involving several colleagues that I respect and admire. His colleagues have spoken out. The MSW students have spoken out. And the PhD students…

My name is Dr. Melissa Bird, PhD. I am an activist. I am a social worker. I believe in the power of Twitter. I drive a convertible Camaro while listening to Metallica and Tori Amos. I have three children who I adore yet aren’t biologically mine. I didn’t believe in God until my ex-wife left…